12 2 STA T .4953PUBLIC LA W 11 0– 432 —O CT. 1 6, 200 8rangi ng f r om o pe ra t ing impro v ement s to d edi c ated ne w infra - str u cture , ta k ing into account t h e impact of such options on operations
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‘ (8) to improve maintenance, operations, customer service, or other aspects of intercit y rai l passenger and freight service; ‘‘( 9 ) to recommend o bj ective methodologies for determining intercity passenger rail routes and services, including the establishment of new routes, the elimination of e x isting routes, and the contraction or expansion of services or fre q uencies over such routes; ‘‘( 10 ) to review the impact of equipment and operational safety standards on the further development of high-speed pas- senger rail operations connected to or integrated with non- high-speed freight or passenger rail operations; ‘‘(11) to recommend any legislative or regulatory changes necessary to foster further development and implementation of high-speed passenger rail operations while ensuring the safety of such operations that are connected to or integrated with non-high-speed freight or passenger rail operations; ‘‘(1 2 ) to review rail crossing safety improvements, including improvements using new safety technology; and ‘‘(1 3 ) to review and develop technology designed to reduce train horn noise and its effect on communities, including broadband horn technology . ‘‘(c) ADVISORYB O A RD. — ‘‘(1) E S T A BL IS HMEN T.— I n consultation with the heads of appropriate F ederal departments and agencies, the S ecretary shall establish an advisory board to recommend research, tech- nology, and technology transfer activities related to rail pas- senger and freight transportation. ‘‘(2) M EMBERSHI P .— T he advisory board shall include— ‘‘(A) representatives of State transportation agencies; ‘‘(B) transportation and environmental economists, sci- entists, and engineers; and ‘‘( C ) representatives of Amtrak, the Alaska R ailroad, freight railroads, transit operating agencies, intercity rail passenger agencies, railway labor organi z ations, and environmental organizations. ‘‘(d) N ATIONAL A C ADEMY O F SCIENCES.—The Secretary may make grants to, and enter into cooperative agreements with, the National Academy of Sciences to carry out such activities relating to the research, technology, and technology transfer activities described in subsection (b) as the Secretary deems appropriate. ‘‘(e) A U THORI Z ATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation $5 ,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2013 for carrying out this section. ’ ’. (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The chapter analysis for chapter 2 4 9 is amended by adding at the end the following
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‘ 24910.Railco o per a t i v ere s earc h pro g ra m . ’ ’. SEC.307 . F E D E RAL RA I L PO LIC Y . Section 103 is amended— (1) by inserting ‘‘IN G ENERAL.—’’ before ‘‘The Federal’’ in subsection (a); (2) by striking the second and third sentences of subsection (a); 49USC103.
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